GreenSeaEco Blog

Tips for Holiday Shopping Online

Getting dressed, taking the time to drive to the store and having to deal with crowds just to complete your holiday shopping lists aren’t exactly for everyone. Yes, shopping can be fun, even for men, but draining your energy and getting exhausted from walking from one shop to another, not to mention the traffic you have to deal with may push you to thinking twice about getting out of the house at all! It’s all for these reasons that you’ll going to love online shopping.

There are a few tips though that you would want to consider before starting on your Holiday online shopping!

Be cautious!

Protect your personal information and of course, your credit card. You can do so, by shopping only at reputable stores online. Research a bit about the online stores’ reputation to ensure that the private information you’re going to provide during check out will remain private. There are cases of identity theft; in fact it’s becoming quite common. But you can prevent this by making sure that you are purchasing from secured sites.

Be wary of sites that you’re not familiar with or those that have no or very few online user viewers. Don’t get tempted even if you really want to purchase their merchandise, remember that you need to prioritize protecting your information more than anything. That way, you can enjoy shopping safely online.

Also keep in mind that there’s no site, especially online stores, that will need your SSN. It’s a clear indication that it’s not a legitimate website if it’s asking for your Social Security Number, definitely not what would you call a trusted site! Make sure to leave the site at once.

Make a phone call to the online company before you finalize your purchase. This will ensure that you can actually reach customer service in case you encounter a problem with your online purchase.

Image courtesy of Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Avail of the discount!

Find out if the website has newsletter and if you can avail of the discount when you sign up for it. Oftentimes, good deals are being offered when you opt for their newsletter. It’s also a good idea to keep yourself updated, thru these newsletter, of the online stores’ updates and latest especially when you really enjoyed your shopping experience with them.

Ideally you should have anti-virus software when you are frequently shopping online – or if you are one of those who simply love bargain hunting! You can easily stumble across a virus while making research for discount codes or deals. Again there are a lot of questionable sites on the internet that could redirect you somewhere that could mess up your whole computer. Antivirus software will protect you by alerting you for potential virus threats.

Don’t forget the coupons!

Online retailers, especially the big ones, oftentimes have promotional codes to offer, so watch out for those. These codes when used or entered during check out will slash off part of the price thereby saving you money.

It’s important to watch out for special or promotional coupons to ensure that you’re getting the best possible deal there is. Even if they don’t offer coupons directly attach to the product itself, they sometimes offer it in the form of free shipping. Take the time to research for coupons before purchasing any product. If you don’t find any information on the website about the current offers or active coupons for the product you are interested in, look on other sites, message boards or couponing blogs.

Registering for their newsletters also lets you avail of any coupon codes that you can use when shopping again in their stores. These online stores usually provide the best offers for those who signed up and those with repeat purchases.

It’s simply amazing how you can now do your Holiday shopping online in the comfort of your home. You no longer have to drive or walk to the nearest store or let alone endure a huge crowd! You can also get the best deals by comparing prices, availing discounts and using coupons! Amazing, right?

Just keep in mind the tips mentioned above so that you can enjoy your Holiday shopping online safely!

Lisa Burnham is an artist-ecoactivist-entrepreneur mom to two wonderful kids and wife to a surfer! She teaches for 25 years to children of all ages, has an art education and speaks Spanish, pretty well, too! This mom loves traveling, gardening and anything green! She lives in San Francisco, California just a block away from the ocean. And she has a pitbull named Irie.

Lisa is living the life - enjoying freedom and embracing a more meaningful life while creating a sustainable business that keeps her mobile and free! Connect with her and start your own journey towards the realization of your dream life!

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